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Guided Independent Study
What goes on in ‘Guided Independent Study’?
Nichola Gretton & Steve Rooney, Leicester Learning Institute
Tracey Dodman, Department of Criminology
Research Background
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Themes in the literature regarding students’ expectations and experiences of independent study
• Among prospective students, the need to ‘learn independently’ is a widely acknowledged, but poorly understood, feature of HE learning (Foster et al., 2011; Thomas, 2012)
• A willingness and capacity to devote substantial time to independent study a key factor in learning effectively in HE (Gibbs, 2010)
• Becoming a more independent learner forms part of a broader suite of ‘threshold practices’ for students in transition (Gourlay, 2009)
• The perceived unmanageable volume of information (in particular reading) is a key feature of students’ experiences of HE study at all levels (Hardy and Clughen, 2012; Gourlay, 2014)
• Reported gaps between prospective students’ perceived and actual levels of preparedness for the demands of reading and writing at HE level (Hardy and Boulton, 2012)
• The notion of ‘independence’ is itself contested and ideologically loaded (Leathwood, 2004; Walkerdine, 2011)
Project Outline
Methodology
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Collaborators
Impact
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Independent study per week - not including revision periods
Time Spent
% of overall
responses
CB%
DL%
None 2 2 1
Up to 5 hours 17 17 16
More than 5 hours but not exceeding 10 hours 23
21 28
More than 10 hours but not exceeding 20 hours 32
31 35
More than 20 hours but not exceeding 30 hours 16
16 13
More than 30 hours 8 10 3
Don't Know 2 3 3
The Story so far......
Input and outcome % of overall respon
ses
CB%
DL%
Learned what is required and usually happy with marks
57 58 55
Learned what is required but usually disappointed with marks
24 22 30
Limited knowledge but usually achieve good marks 14 15 9Limited knowledge often reflected in poor marks 5 5 6
Effort and satisfaction % of respon
ses overall
CB%
DL%
I put in lot of effort and I am usually pleased with my marks
55 55 55
I put in a lot of effort but I am usually disappointed with my marks
28 25 34
I put in a minimal amount of effort but I am usually pleased with my marks
14 17 8
I put in a minimal amount of effort and this is usually reflected in poor marks
3 3 3
Over to you......
Feedback
Contact: Nichola Gretton: [email protected] Rooney: [email protected]
ReferencesFoster, E., Lawther, S. and McNeil, J (2011) Learning Developers Supporting Early Student Transition. In Hartley, P., Hilsdon, J., Keenan, C., Sinfield, S. and Verity, M., eds. Learning Development in Higher Education. Hampshire: Palgrave MacMillan, pp. 79-91
Gibbs, G (2010) Dimensions of Quality. Higher Education Academy. Available at: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/evidence_informed_practice/Dimensions_of_Quality.pdf
Gourlay, L. (2009).Threshold practices: becoming a student through academic literacies. London Review of Education, 7(2), 181–192
Gourlay, L. (2014) 'Creating time: students, technologies and temporal practices in higher education', E-learning & Digital Media 11(2), 141-153.
Hardy, C and Boulton, H (2012) Writing at School. In Clughen, L and Hardy, C, eds. Writing in the Disciplines: Building Supportive Cultures for Student Writing in UK Higher Education. Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing Ltd, pp. 1-23
Hardy, C and Clughen, L (2012) Writing at University: Student and Staff Expectations and Experiences. In Clughen, L and Hardy, C, eds. Writing in the Disciplines: Building Supportive Cultures for Student Writing in UK Higher Education. Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing Ltd, pp. 25-54
Leathwood, C. (2006). Gender, equity and the discourse of the independent learner in higher education, Higher Education, 52(4), 611–633
Thomas, L (2012) What Works? Student Retention & Success (Final Report). Available at: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/what-works-retention
Cox, A.M. (2011) ‘Students’ Experience of University Space: An Exploratory Study’, International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 23(2) pp197-207.
Department for Education and Skills (2003) The future of higher education, London, UK: HMSO,
http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/BISCore/corporate/MigratedD/publications/F/future_of_he.pdf, accessed 26 September 2013. Meyer, B. Haywood, N. Darshan, S. Faraday, S (2008) Independent Learning: Literature Review. Learning and Skills Network, Research Report: DCSF-RR051Re NUS (2012) Student Experience Research, Part 2–Independent Learning and Contact Hours. Student experience research to gain insight into the quality of the
learning experience. London: NUS. http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Documents/Student-Experience-Research-2012-Part-2.pdf (accessed 26 September, 2013).
ReferencesQuality Assurance Agency for Higher Education 2012. UK Quality Code for UK Education. Part B, Assuring and Enhancing Quality Education. Chapter B3: Learning and Teaching. [Online] Available at: www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Pages/quality-code-B3.aspx [Accessed: 26 September 2013] Walker, P. (2008) ‘What Do Students Think They (Should) Learn at College? Student Perceptions of Essential Learning Outcomes’, Journal of the scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 8(1) pp45-60.
Walkerdine, V (2011) Neoliberalism, working-class subjects and higher education, Contemporary Social Science: Journal of the Academy of Social Sciences, 6(2), 255-271
White, D., 2011. The Learning Black Market. [Online] Available at: <http://tallblog.conted.ox.ac.uk/index.php/2011/09/30/the-learning-black-market/> [Accessed 28 January 2013].
